Traffic signal



Sept. 23, 1930. K. c. PARKHURST TRAFFIC SIGNAL 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 30, 1929 mun bdrm d m INVENTOR. KafZ ClQzf/f/z mit ATTORNEY.

Sept. 2 3, 1930.

le c. PARKHRST 11,776,447

TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed oct. so, 1929 3 sheets-sheet 2 INV'ENToR.

Kad C Rif/warst WQ/ Maag/44 A TTORNE Y.

Ilo

. stillfurther invention to 15- provide 'a flexible indicia plate having a cen` i' trol portion` thereof reinforced with strands Y i views. v

vPatented Sept.` 23, l19730 f* miren v'sw'rATrs' PATENT oFFicE N i KARL-ernaxnunsr, or WICHITA, Kansas 5 indicia plate willfrock in vopposite/directions with respectto the face of the plate, the rocking movement being caused by the wheel of;

a vehicle contacting therewith lin its lineof travel*k ,i .y

LAlfurther object of my invention is to provide a signal that? will automatically retract ;.to" its-vertical. position. when rocked down '.WagI'dq. 1

- ofwire as a stifeningmeans to breakar toggle 'Y v joint supporting thesanife,said joint rockable j ineither directiongand actuated by a spring '20 tension plate.

l A A.sizillfffi'irth'er object of Vmy invention is to provide a signal'collapsibly arranged to avoid excess flexing of the indicia plate when rocked to" a horizontal position, or to an incline suficient for. a vehicle topass thereover.

These and other objects will hereinafter bemore fully explained, reference being hady tothe accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein like char- 0V acters will apply to like parts in the different Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is aperi spective view of one type of the signal. Fig.

' V2y is a side View of Fig'. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the signal. x Fig. '4 isaview of the l' g signal collapsed in one direction. Fig. 5 is a view of the signal collapsed in the opposite direction to that shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a rear `view ot the signal illustrating the findicia plate that is reinforced withv resilient wires, with parts removed for convenience off f illustration. Fig. 7 is a side view of Fig. 6,

vwith parts removed vfor convenience of illustration. v

My invention herein disclosed consists of a bed plate 1, having araised portion as at 1', the depression 'causedi thereby to receive a hinged portion when collapsed, said plate 1 being anchored to the roadbed of ahighway.

v Hingedly attachedto said bed plate is a secobj ecty of invention isto provide a signalriiexibly arrangedrso that an TRAFFIC SIGNAL ond plate 2, rocking on hinge 3. As a means of elevating the free end of plater 2, I have arrangeda leafspring 4, one end securely attached to the vbed plate in closey proximity tothe hinged end of the plate while the other endis in contactwith plate 2as'at A, by which means the said plate is tensioned upward, for the purpose hereinafter described.` In the free end of plate 2 isa slot 5 in whichA is positioned aframe, said frame being trunnioned to ears Z that are positioned on each sideof the slot. The lower end otsaid `trame is pivotally connected to a link 8, and

the opposite end of said link is pivotally connectedto kthe bed plate asat 8,:by which 65 means a toggle joint is arranged, and adapted to fold in either direction, as plate 2fis forced downward when thel indicia plate isy rocked to break the joint. Positioned on the upper ends of frame .is a bar 9 having a 70 channel-B to receive the loweredge of a flexible indicia plate. 10, said plate being secured therein' by rivets 11, by which `means it may ybe-replaced. The riieXible plate above reerred to has anindicia on either side thereofas shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6, butI do not `wishto be confined to the exact wording, as

the mechanism may `be applied for other j purposes. Consequently the indicia would meet'the requirement whetherit be a signal, 80 or a signfor other purposes. l

vInxFigs. l6 and `7 is. showna modified form ofniy invention. In thisinstanoe Ihave employed a plate having a centrally disposed extended portionlO, the outer edge of which is seated in the groove offa member 12, said member pivotally connected to plate 2. Cen' tr'ally positioned andlaterally extending from tramer 12 is an arm 13, the outer end of which engageswith links 8, by which means the s toggle joint is arranged for this type of signal, being similar 'to the onefheretofore described.

In Fig. Gis shown a reinforcing means for the central portionof the plate, reinforcing e .Wires 14 extending through and into theV eX- .tended portion, vsaid Ywires being intermedi- C is free yto yiiexV should the Wheel of a vehicle 10o contact therewith, while the reinforced p0rtion has a greater resistance with respect to l an indiciai on eitherfside .thereof a'spring tentsionedplate, hingedly connected atl one end a pairofplates hingedlyconnected, and a its resilient qualities so that when a vehicle contacts with either side Vthereo,.tlf'ieptoggle joint willfbe promptlyrocled for thepurpose above described; and furthermore, should the joint haveV an obstruction.l against movement, the reinforced portion will flex sufficiently for the vehicleto pass thereover Without seri;k ous injury thereto. l/Vhenthe plate is -lthusl' formed and reinforcedl a qualtity jis attained.

Such other-modilicationsmay be employed as lie within the scope of the appended claims,

greater wearing and having fully described my invention, vwhat I claim is new, Aand .desire to secure by Letters Patent is :e f Y. A,

l. In a trac signal; a eXible plate having to a stationary plate on the'roadbed; the tleX- ible plate being pivotally carried on Vthetree end of the spring tensioned plate; and a link pivotally connecting thetlexible plate to the stationary plateby which means the flexible platemayfbe retracted to a verticalv position kby the :tension of the spring actuated plate` when rocked in either direction. -v

2. In atraiiic signal; a plate secured toa i yroadbed; a' second plate having .one end hinged to the first said platel and a spring to 'y rock` the last said plate on its hinge; a'tlexible signal plate pivoted and rockably'carried on retraction of the last said plate, the indicia plate is brought to an erect position. j f

'13; lIn a traliic'signalof the class described;

spring to'rock the' plates from each other;la toggle joint connecting the `free,v ends of the plates; a signal plater carried bythe upper member of the toggle joint the signal'plate i being flexible and reinforced with wires at its central portion, said wires being transversely plate, and a spring attachedto the tiret-said l Y rplate as raising means'for the second said plate; a toggle joint Velement connecting vthe free ends of the second said plateft'ov the saidY roadbed plate; means on thetogglejoint to v 7o 3 Y f `receive a signal plate; `and a signal plate car L riedV by the said Vmeans 4and detachablyrarff ranged ;-all substantially'as shown.. i v l l l.

5.- ln a traflic signal; a signal vof the class described, comprising a stationarily arranged nected tosaid roadbed plate and a'springhav-- ing one end attached to the roadbed platesand- '1 roadbed pla-te, -a hoist-ing plate hingedlycon-fu the other end-in cnntact` with the hoisting f5 plate as raising means therefor; ka ytoggle joint member pivotally connectedY .to the f-ree extension functioning as an indicia plate, andv Yso kend ofthe hoisting plate and to the vroadbed i. plate, fthe toggle joint member-having an vup-k "ward extension from v the Vhoisting plate, said being rocked' to an erect position by th'eupi Y;

Vward,pressure of the hoisting-plate. L

6.-.In a trafficsignahasignaloffthefclass f f described comprising; a iiexible indicia plate with an extension fromv oneedge and a .link :member pivotally 'connectedto Vthe extension .l

eof`

aroadbed plate and plater-hingedly connected thereto, and a spring yas hoisting means f for the last saidy plate; theextensionf of an in dicia lplatepivotally connected'to the laste anw-pate, the other end 'l ofthe iinkf pivotally connected to the roadbedk plate, byA

which' means thevindicia plateis kvertically,y *Y

positioned lby the springftensione'd plate. c Intestimony whereof I latliX my signature. f j, KARL C. ,Y

positioned with respectY tothe plate as kstiff tening means adjacent the toggle joint, so

that the'joint will rock by apressure imposed on the upper portion of the plate, said rocking v movementr causing the hingedly connected plates to be rocked .to a closedposition `when a. lweight is imposed thereon, together with pressure on the signal plate. f

4. ln atraliic signal, a. signal .of the class de- I Y scribed; comprising; a roadbed plate, the. plate 1 havinga shoulder near one end thereof; a secondl plate hingedly attached vto .the lvfirst said ano Y 

